BALTIMORE (AP) – A container ship crashed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, causing it to snap and fall into the river below. Several vehicles plunged into the cold water and rescue teams were searching for survivors.
Two people were rescued from the water under the Francis Scott Key Bridge, one in critical condition, Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said. He said authorities “may be looking for more than seven people” but said that number could change. It is unclear whether the two rescued people are among the seven.
It was not immediately clear what caused the cargo ship to crash into a bridge in a major U.S. city near Washington, well before the busy morning commute, in what one official called an “ongoing mass casualty incident.” It wasn't.
The ship struck one of the bridge's supports, causing the structure to snap and buckle in several places and fall into the water within seconds. The shocking scene was captured on video and posted on social media. The ship caught fire and thick black smoke rose.
“I never imagined I would physically see the Key Bridge collapse like that. It was like something out of an action movie,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. “It's a tragedy.”
Temperatures early Tuesday were around 47 degrees Fahrenheit (8 degrees Celsius), and sonar showed the vehicle in the water. According to buoy Collects data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Kevin Cartwright, director of public affairs for the Baltimore Fire Department, previously told The Associated Press that there were several vehicles on the bridge at the time of the collapse, including one the size of a tractor-trailer truck. He said that he was The bridge collapsed in the middle of the night, when there is less traffic than during the day when thousands of cars pass over the bridge.
Cartwright called the collapse an “ongoing mass casualty event,” but it was unclear at the time how many people were affected.
He added that some cargo appeared to be dangling from a bridge spanning the Patapsco River at the entrance to the busy port. The river connects to the Port of Baltimore, a major shipping hub on the East Coast. Opened in 1977, the bridge is named after the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency and said he was working to commit federal resources to the state. The FBI was also on the scene.
Synergy Marine Group, which owns and manages the vessel called Dali, confirmed that the vessel, which was being operated by two pilots, collided with a bridge pillar at around 1:30 a.m. All crew members, including the pilot, were confirmed safe and there were no reports of injuries.
According to data from Marine Traffic, Dali was flying from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka, flying under the Singaporean flag. The container ship is about 985 feet (300 meters) long and 157 feet (48 meters) wide, according to its website.
In 2001, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in a downtown Baltimore tunnel and caught fire, sending plumes of black smoke into the air and forcing authorities to temporarily close all major roads leading into the city. Ta.
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This story has been corrected to reflect that the ship does not appear to have sunk.